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5 Reasons Apple Will Announce the iPhone 5 at WWDC

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Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) is just around the corner.WWDC is Apple’s biggest stage and it would make perfect sense for the company to use that stage to launch the iPhone 5.

A lot of analysts are pointing to ‘unnamed sources’ and rumors that put the iPhone 5’s announcement off until this fall. But will Apple really go more than a year without releasing a new iPhone?

It might be dubbed the iPhone 4G, iPhone S or iPhone 5, but whatever it is, it’s important for Apple to get it out the door as soon as possible. Below are the top five reasons why Apple will announce the iPhone at WWDC 2011.

You can read GBM’s 5 Reasons Apple Won’t Announce the iPhone 5 at WWDC if you’re a naysayer.

The iPhone 4 is Obsolete, Bring on the iPhone 5

iPhone 4 OverviewAs of this month, the iPhone 4 is a year old. That’s ancient in mobile phone land.While the iPhone 4 is a very nice phone and was ahead of its time in many ways, the competition has caught up and surpassed the iPhone 4 in many ways.

In the past 12 months the competition has introduced countless smartphones that are packed with features that simply make them smarter than the iPhone 4. While the iPhone is of course the only phone to feature iOS and the Apple App Store’s dizzying array of apps,  many find the hardware lacking. Dual-core processors, 3D displays,  4G, dual displays and bigger displays are just a few things that competition has over the iPhone 4.

Will apple include all of those features in the iPhone 5? Probably not, but Apple does need to catch up in the hardware comparison department.

Apple Won’t Announce iOS 5 without the iPhone 5

In a rare move, Apple’s pre-announced some major announcements prior to WWDC.  Yes, Apple’s already told the world that Steve Jobs and friends will be talking about iOS 5 and OSX Lion, but why wouldn’t Apple take the opportunity to launch new hardware for all of this new software to run on.

iOS is getting heavier and more complex as it evolves, which means beefier hardware is required to take advantage of each new releases’ new features. For example, iPhone users who want to use Facetime need an iPhone 4. It will be a big disappointment if Apple doesn’t introduce any new iOS5 features or apps that don’t require a hardware bump.

Apple is slated to introduce a refresh of its MacBook Air line, which may coincide with the introduction of OSX Lion at WWDC. If that’s the case, it would be odd to introduce new hardware on one hand and hold back the iPhone 5 on the other.

Apple Needs to Solve Persisting Antenna Issues with the iPhone 5

The iPhone 4 is a great phone in many regards, but its poor antenna design has proved extremely frustrating for many users. While Apple worked to mitigate the issue with software releases and even addressed the press on the issue, the antenna problems persists for many iPhone 4 users, especially for those who don’t use a case.

‘Antennagate’ has proved extremely embarrassing for Apple and the man in charge of the iPhone 4’s design was apparently fired over the matter. Apple offered free cases to early iPhone 4 owners, but having to patch a $299 device with a rubber sleeve is far from ideal.

To this day, many consumers avoid the iPhone 4 because of the media storm that greeted Apple’s latest phone last summer.

Apple Likes Making Money, Pleasing Shareholders


Many Apple retail stores might are crowded on every given day, but nothing drives sales like the introduction of a new iPhone. When Apple can get fanboys into their stores with credit cards in hands, they make a ton of money.
Apple store visitors spend a ton of  unplanned purchases. When they buy iPhones, they snatch up cases, AppleCare, headphones, chargers, speakers and other accessories. The $199 or $299 that an iPhone costs makes the rest of the accessories feel cheap in comparison. What’s another $30 when you’re plopping down more than $300 on an iPhone after taxes.

Apple fanboys often forget that Apple is in the business of making money, not pleasing fanboys’ desires. Shareholders are the ones that Apple execs need to please first and in order to do that they have to sell stuff, even if it’s the ‘same’ thing to the same people over and over again.

Even if Apple only announces the iPhone 5 and doesn’t make it available until September, it’ll give something for investors and iPhone users alike to look forward to.

Apple makes money from selling hardware, not OS updates.

One More Thing: Apple Knows How to Keep A Secret

Many people assume we would’ve already seen the iPhone 5 if Apple were going to announce an iPhone 5 at WWDC. But Apple knows how to keep a secret.

The only reason the iPhone 4 was leaked well ahead of WWDC last year was because an Apple employee left a prototype at a bar. Apple employees and the iPhone 5 are likely on strict lockdown. All of those ‘unnamed sources’ have probably received friendly reminders that leaks will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form.

Steve Jobs himself will be presenting at WWDC, which means there’s something big coming and likely a surprise or two. Apple’s let the tech community wrap ourselves up in discussing iOS 5, iCloud and OSX Lion for the past several days. All the talk about software and cloud services may be designed to throw the scent off the meat of the WWDC Keynote: the iPhone 5.

36 Comments

36 Comments

  1. Don Williams

    06/03/2011 at 10:25 pm

    Not sure if this will happen or not, but I sure hope so!

  2. Don Williams

    06/03/2011 at 10:26 pm

    I’m not sure if this will happen or not, but I’m sure hoping that it does. 

  3. Xxxxxxxxxxx

    06/03/2011 at 10:48 pm

    very good points made here, i do hope it happens :)

  4. Anonymous

    06/03/2011 at 11:47 pm

    It would be neat to see a new phone, but sadly your reasons don’t hold up:
    Reason 1: Most of the things you mention aren’t on phones and ALL are battery hogs. Apple will not release a phone that lasts shorter then the 4. Features on the iPhone hold up pretty well, even the camera actually takes better pictures than phones with better stats. And the screen is still the best.
    Reason 2: iOS 5 will need a development build so that the devs can start making apps. There may be some additional features (iOS 5.1 ?) that will support new hardware but we will not hear about them at WWDC. Previously the dev release of iOS was well before the WWDC.
    Reason 3: Much ado about nothing. Tests have shown it gets as good (or better) reception than any other phone. The grip of death (which does exist) IS solved by using a case (a good idea anyhow). Antennagate has not hurt sales up till now, so this is certainly not a business reason to release now. (I do hope this gets fixed though)
    Reason 4: Because they like making money, that is why we will not hear about the new iPhone until it arrives. Any announcement will cut into current sales. (Of course the reverse of this is also probably the best argument for the new iPhone’s arrival – they did not want to hurt sales is why they all but claimed no new phone is coming).
    Reason 5: This would be amazing if they kept it this locked up (but see 4 above!)

    I think the main reason that the iPhone 5 or whatever will be delayed is because of technology and supply chain issues. Maybe 4G and battery issues, maybe the Japanese supply issues. Apple may also just want to stop the expected 1 year hardware refresh cycle. However, I would love to be wrong.

  5. Anthony

    06/04/2011 at 5:04 am

    I really think Apple will announce the iPhone 5 at the WWDC too. What other event is coming up that they could use that would draw as much attention? Even if it doesn’t come out until September that would be plenty of time for app developers to update their apps. All these articles saying it won’t happen might have to stick their foots in their mouths come Monday. The Android momentum has already stopped according to studies, can anyone realize what would happen if the iPhone 5 is on all carriers?

  6. Muhammad Imad Quershi

    06/05/2011 at 3:09 am

    The only reason I think apple wont release new iPhone is because of a white iPhone 4 last month. Otherwise there is every reason a new iPhone should be released.

  7. Muhammad Imad Quershi

    06/05/2011 at 3:09 am

    The only reason I think apple wont release new iPhone is because of a white iPhone 4 last month. Otherwise there is every reason a new iPhone should be released.

  8. Sara

    06/05/2011 at 6:49 am

    You forgot to capitalize the A in “apple” in your third paragraph of your first reason (The iPhone 4 is Obsolete…).

  9. Zresk8er

    06/05/2011 at 5:32 pm

    please please release apple
    my iphone 4 was just stolen and it would be nice to just upgrade to and iphone 5 and get MOBILE ME
    lol

    • Marcusmax

      06/05/2011 at 9:42 pm

      app Findmyiphone?ever heard of it

  10. Guest

    06/06/2011 at 7:37 pm

    Fail.

  11. Guest

    06/06/2011 at 7:37 pm

    Fail.

  12. Guest

    06/06/2011 at 7:37 pm

    Fail.

  13. Jasmine

    06/07/2011 at 1:55 pm

    To comment on the “grip of death” issue – that only exists for AT&T users. They solved it for Verizon users and moved some things around. If you were seriously an Apple follower you would know this. I agree with someone else when they said “they just released the white iPhone 4.”

    Also, I forget if it was an Apple representative or a Verizon rep who said they are having issues putting the 4G technology into the size of an iPhone. The technology is too big for the iPhone 4. I don’t think Apple is going to allow their product to get bigger before it gets better. thinner is better to Apple.

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